Which Nationals receive qualifying offers before today's deadline?

The time many Nationals fans have been dreading is nearing. Free agency officially begins after the clock strikes midnight, meaning beloved veterans Jordan Zimmermann, Ian Desmond, Denard Span, Doug Fister, Matt Thornton and Dan Uggla have the right to sign elsewhere.

Before then, the Nationals have until 5 p.m. today to extend a qualifying offer to any of their pending free agent players. The qualifying offer is a one-year deal worth $15.8 million, the average of the top 125 salaries in the majors. The players must decide by Nov. 13 whether to accept the qualifying offer or pass and enter free agency. Despite the unlikelihood of the Nats inking one of their veteran free agents to a qualifying offer, the franchise still stands to benefit from the process.

If a player rejects the offer and signs with another team, the signing team forfeits its highest 2016 draft pick to the team the player departed. This usually results in a first-round draft pick unless it is protected in the top 10.

Not one major league player has accepted the qualifying offer since they became part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2012. Is there a chance this offseason?

The Nationals will likely extend qualifying offers to Zimmermann, Desmond and Span. Fister seemed to be a candidate before the season, but the veteran right-hander lost velocity and command last season, resulting in a demotion to the bullpen. Zimmermann and Desmond figure to reject the offers and hit the market for big dollars matched with lengthy guaranteed contracts.

Span's case is a bit more intriguing. He'll be 32 at the start of spring training and still recovering from hip surgery, which ended his season on Aug. 26. The Nationals badly missed the veteran center fielder at the top of their lineup. When he played, Span slashed .301/.365/.431 with five homers, 38 runs scored and 11 stolen bases in 61 games.

Span made $9 million in 2015, so accepting the qualifying offer would be a significant bump in pay for next season. He did switch agents to Scott Boras in August, which seemed to indicate preparation for free agency. The Nationals could also opt to pass on a qualifying offer for Span considering they have Michael A. Taylor ready to take over in center field.

Thornton, who made $3.5 million last season, won't get a qualifying offer, but could be re-signed. At 39, the left-hander posted a 2.18 ERA in 60 appearances in 2015.